Advanced Thai Massage – Using Feet

Background:

I decided to create this Diploma after training with Ralf Marzen in Thailand. I studied the course in ‘Using the Feet’ twice at the sunshine school in Chiang Mai and experienced for myself how effective it was in providing a strong, secure pressure over a large surface area, which was more effective for them and in saving energy for me when working with bigger clients. At the time I was also teaching the Intermediate level 1 & 2 Diploma and looking for ways to provide the next step forward for my students continuing development along the path of Thai Yoga Massage. There were many options and styles but I felt that Using the Feet would be the next step forward in being very practical and adaptable to the level 1 & 2 Diploma

Benefits of Using the Feet:

Studying the Advanced Diploma in ‘Using the Feet’ will enable you to utilize the full potential of your body with many benefits for both you and your client. In listening to other therapists it seems a common occurrence is that we sometimes get a little tired when giving treatments and using the feet is the perfect remedy for this, because we start using our body weight and gravity to apply a strong and sustained pressure with no effort at all. Its not a co-incidence that many slight Thai women practitioners who work all day, use their feet on their bigger western clients.

There are so many advantages to using the feet, including the improvement of our co-ordination skills for brain to foot control, which also improves our sense of balance and mental dexterity. It will protect your wrists from overuse or injury and help you to last longer as a therapist. It is excellent for working with people with low energy, anxiety and for people who are ungrounded (including ourselves sometimes) by having a noticeable calming effect almost immediately. I believe it is an essential art form to learn if we are working on a regular basis and need to keep balanced and maintain our vitality.

Course Structure:

The Advanced level 3 Diploma is an FHT accredited course that will teach you how to give an effective full body Thai Yoga Massage using your feet (there is also a small element on using the knees). The course takes place over 3 weekends and is approximately 42 teaching hrs in duration. The dates are shown below. You will also do 4 case studies in your own time of an approximate 1.5hr treatment, with the choice of doing only the level 3 sequence of ‘Using the Feet’ or mixing it with the general postures from level 1 & 2 diploma. Assistance will be given on request if you feel you need it.

As a qualified Yoga teacher with the BWY, I am also an advocator of yoga principles in practice and the need for personal preparation before working on others, so each workshop will begin with an hour of Yoga and Meditation to prepare you for the giving and receiving of Thai Yoga Massage. In addition to the Advanced course in Using the Feet as taught in Thailand, I have added a few dynamic techniques that I’ve picked up from other teachers such as David Lutt and some of my favourite ways of using the knees to enhance your Advanced technique in Thai Yoga Massage.